This invention relates generally to pointing devices and, more particularly to an improved pointing device which includes a resistive resilient force member with an integrated switch and an electrically conductive substrate surface.
Pointing devices including joysticks are known in the art. Traditional joysticks have been used primarily as a gaming controller, although they have also been employed as general mouse replacement devices. In a typical application, the joystick pointing device is connected via cables to a microcontroller of a computer with a display and a keyboard. The traditional joystick has many moving parts, and the size of the mechanism therein prohibits its use in many applications, including remote controls, keyboards, and notebooks. On the other hand, joysticks have the advantages of reliability and performance.
Prior pointing devices typically employ a substrate or printed circuit board having a resistive coating and a conductive force diverter that is movable on the substrate to change the location of contact and produce signals that vary with location. Forming the resistive coating on the substrate is a costly and problematic procedure that can result in a high percentage of devices that must be scrapped.
There is therefore a need for a simply structured pointing device that has fewer components and fewer moving parts, has high performance and reliability, and is easy to manufacture.
It is a feature of this invention to provide a compact, simply structured pointing device that includes a reduced number of components and only one moving part, and that is miniaturized.
It is another feature of this invention to provide a pointing device that can be built into a notebook or standard computer, or used for remote control devices.
It is another feature of this invention to provide a pointing device that is impervious to the external environment.
It is another feature of the invention to provide a pointing device with digital and analog integration including a digital switch and/or wake-up feature for conserving battery life which is ideal for remote control application.
It is yet another feature of the invention to provide different types of control surfaces for the user to contact and manipulate the pointing device.
One aspect of the present invention is a pointing device which comprises a substrate having an electrically conductive surface and a resilient boot supported by the substrate along an outer edge. The resilient boot is spaced from the electrically conductive surface in a rest mode. The resilient boot is displaceable relative to the substrate by a force and resiliently returns to the rest position with removal of the force. The resilient boot has a voltage variance over a resistive rocking surface of the resilient boot. The resistive rocking surface is displaceable to contact a portion of the electrically conductive surface at an electrical contact position to generate a signal through the electrically conductive surface with the voltage variance in a pressed mode. The resistive rocking surface is displaceable to rock on the electrically conductive surface to change the electrical contact position between the resistive rocking surface and the electrically conductive surface to produce a corresponding change in the signal. A built-in dome switch with associated firmware can be used to provide a switch and/or drag function for the pointing device.
Another aspect of the invention is a pointing device comprising an electrically conductive surface and a diverter. The diverter includes a resistive rolling surface having a voltage variance and means for resiliently supporting the resistive rolling surface in an undeflected mode spaced from the electrically conductive surface. The resistive rolling surface is movable to contact a portion of the electrically conductive surface in a deflected mode. The resistive rolling surface is movable to roll over the electrically conductive surface to contact a different portion of the electrically conductive surface.
In accordance with another aspect of this invention, an electrically conductive surface is provided in a pointing device for contacting a resistive surface having a voltage variance when the resistive surface is pushed toward the electrically conductive surface and rolled to transfer the voltage variance. The electrically conductive surface comprises at least one inner switch and an outer conductive region. A nonconductive gap separates each inner switch from the outer conductive region.